Blake

Eleven months out of the year, this unassuming River North storefront goes unadorned, with no signage, no merchandise displays and a hard-to-find entrance that requires visitors to be buzzed in. Behind its white wall, however, a legendary high-end boutique awaits the city’s most cutting-edge fashionistas. Stylish customers are thrilled by Blake’s dramatic, no-nonsense clothing created by world-class designers like Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten, Roland Mouret and Balenciaga. Ideal for special occasions, the boutique’s pricey but oh-so-worth-it pieces include shoes, tunics, schoolboy jackets and funky handbags.